No abstract

Learning English has become a necessity during this century. Consequently, it is utilized in different institutions in Palestine such as schools, universities, hospitals, etc. Therefore, it is taught in schools by using different methods. Thus, in order to comprehend the language efficiently, it has to be taught in creative and interesting methods and using games inside the classroom in one of these methods. The study aims to figure out the efficiency of using games inside classrooms and to answer the research questions. The study was conducted during the first semester of 2018/2019, in which 20 participants were enrolled. The researchers collected data using pretest; posttest and class observation. The study continued for two months. In that, students were introduced to unfamiliar vocabulary through games. The findings of the research revealed the efficiency of utilizing games in the educational process. Accordingly, games help students to retain unfamiliar vocabulary, to associate new information with their surroundings and to develop their language and communicative skills.

This quantitative, qualitative study investigates the usage of mobile phone applications in teaching and learning processes. The study aims to identify the benefits, difficulties, and resolutions of using mobile phone applications. The study was conducted in the English Department at Hebron University at the second semester of the academic years 2015/2016. The study focuses on the Business English course. A questionnaire was used to show the general attitudes of the students towards the effects of using mobile phone applications in the classroom. Interviews were administered to reveal the general attitudes of the students and instructors towards the difficulties and the solutions. The results showed that most students responded positively to using mobile applications in teaching and learning processes. In addition, all students had smart phones, and they used varied brands applications in the learning process. Moreover, the results indicated that students understand and learn better through using the applications.

The purpose of this research is to identify few common pronunciation mistakes among Palestinian English major students in Hebron University and the factors that cause these problems. The paper discusses selected phonetic and phonological problems related to specific consonants and vowels besides problems related to pronunciation of consonant sequences. The participants of this study were 120 English major students from Hebron University. The instruments used for collecting the data were a questionnaire and a recorded pronunciation test. In addition to the previous instruments, interviews were conducted with eight students and two instructors. The findings of the study revealed that Hebron University English major students have difficulties in pronouncing English consonants that are not part of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) such as [ŋ], [p], [ɫ], [ɹ], [ʒ], [tʃ] (though some consider [ŋ], [ɫ], [ʒ], [tʃ] as allophonic variants and are used in the different dialects of Arabic), problems in consonant clusters(epenthesis), silent letters, and vowels that have more than one pronunciation. During the interviews, the interviewees pointed various reasons for their errors and suggested some solutions to some of these pronunciation problems. Among the mispronunciation reasons mentioned are: interference from Arabic and the lack of correct models, exposure to native speakers, and practice. The researchers concluded that learners' errors are caused by several linguistic factors, such as the disparity between Arabic and English sound systems, the effect of spelling on pronunciation, the influence of the first language (L1) on the second language (L2), and English vowel inconsistency. Finally, ideas to overcome some of the pronunciation problems are suggested.

English is an SVO (Subject, Verb, Object) word order language. This canonical SVO pattern is the default unmarked word-order configuration typical of English, which makes this language to be classified under the typology of SVO languages. However, driven by the major purpose of language as an instrument of human communication and social interaction, and as a semantic system for making meanings, addressors sometimes depart in their discourse from this basic canonical order of constituents where a grammaticalized system like inversion takes place, resulting in inverted constructions. Through testing and developing the Degree of Focus Hypothesis, proposed by Huffman (1993), this study, which employed a mixed methods research design, sought to explore the communicative and semantic values of inversion; and the pragmalinguistc functions of preposing, i.e., clause-initial adjuncts, to the pragmatic process of communication. The study confirmed the Degree of Focus Hypothesis where the hypothesized notion of concentration of attention stemming from inversion was found to be applicable. The paper stressed that what triggers inversion or non-inversion is a certain communicative effect such as focus rather than a relation of formal determination where one element determines mechanically the form or appearance of another. A contribution to linguistic and educational research, the paper, therefore, highlighted the importance of a human factor in the functioning of language and emphasized the need to break away from grammar-based teaching (traditional grammar) to discourse-based language teaching (communicative grammar) where languaging rather than language should be the focus of language teaching and learning.

After the spread of the Pandemic COVID-19, all educational institutions worldwide shifted to online learning utilizing varied online applications to hold virtual meetings instead of face-to-face ones. Therefore, Palestinian universities used different applications synchronously and asynchronously to manage this sudden and unexpected switch from completely face-to-face mode to an online one. The study aims to investigate the extent to which the online applications utilized in Palestine Ahliya University and Hebron University met the agreed-upon benchmarks of online mode. It also aimed at investigating EFL instructors' and learners' perceptions of online education and the challenges that both of them may face. The sample of the study consisted of 139 students (27 males & 112 females), and 32 instructors (19 males & 13 females) from both universities. Regarding the harmony between participants' responses and the online agreed-upon benchmarks, results showed that all instructors' responses scored high degrees of agreement while the students' ones scored medium degrees. EFL learners' and instructors' perceptions towards the utilization of some web applications scored medium degrees though some of the questionnaire items scored high degrees. No statistically significant differences were traced due to all variables except for the variable 'Student Support Benchmark' in favor of the instructors who are aged from 40-50. There are also statistically significant differences between the means of instructors' responses in the domain 'Student Support' in favor of Palestine Ahliya University while other domains show no statistically significant differences between both universities. Some conclusions and recommendations were concluded at the end of the study.

This study mainly aimed at investigating the impact of teaching the asking for clarification

The use of drama activities is a method that allows learners to improve their communication skills, think critically, learn new vocabulary, and increase their motivation for learning. This study investigates the attitudes of English language teachers, as well as the advantages, problems faced in, and teaching techniques of the English language learning process in Palestinian schools using drama activities. Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, the researchers investigated the extent to which drama activities are used while teaching English as a second language in Palestinian schools using a questionnaire and interviews. In the questionnaire, the participating English language teachers were 39 females and 12 males. Two teachers were interviewed. The findings confirm the need to implement changes and improvements regarding the use of drama activities in the language classroom. Moreover, the findings suggest following specific drama usage recommendations to ensure satisfactory results for both teachers and students to improve the four language skills. The implication of this study calls for providing clear and sufficient materials for drama classes, as well as offering teachers training programs to enhance their abilities to use drama activities in an effective way.